Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal has judged 462 cases of ship accidents(not-related with fishing boats) in recent 5 years. Among 462 cases, 115 cases(25%) were related with Tugboat·Barge. Among 115 cases, 84% of the accidents were linked with human error. If crews had kept a sharp precautions on safety navigation, the accidents would have been reduced.
On the other hand, 20 cases of tugboat accidents for 18 years, from 2000 to 2018 were happened in condition of towing alongside and crews believed that towing alongside could give more good ability to manoeuvre than towing by fore and aft. But 55% of the 20 cases of accidents were caused by blind sector made by more high freeboard of towed ship or cargoes loaded on towed ship than eye-height of the tugboat.
This study analyzes 20 real cases of the Tugboat·Barge accidents and try to find a root causes of the accidents. This study will be a well arranged good guidance for understanding the accidents and a substantial precautions against towing work for mariners.
This study analyzes problems which is related with towing alongside and finds out its causes of the accidents and preventive counter measures as belows.
1. At least, when towing ship line is arriving at or leaving port, a escort boat should be arranged in front of towing ship line. Lookout man also arranged at fore side of barge and the lookout man should liaise with master of towing ship closely with radio transceiver.
2. To show special situation of towing ship line and to induce a attention from another ships, audible and visible warning signals should be arranged on fore side of barge.
3. When a tugboat tows barge alongside in reverse direction of barge, heavy traffic of in & out going fishing boats at the time of 03:00~05:00 should be considered and towing work should be recommended at the time of light traffic of fishing boats.
4. When a tugboat tows a barge alongside, CCTV as a look out assistant should be available to eliminate blind sector.
5. Towing a barge with reverse direction against sailing direction of tugboat should be prohibited by legal instruments. As a guidance, prohibiting clauses could be entered in Ship Safety Operation Management Regulations which is managed by Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries or in entry condition of Maritime cargo transportation business register for tugboat.
6. Basic education for towing work, Navigating education and ship handling skill for towing vessels, etc are recommended to towing crews at a regular intervals.
When a tugboat tows barge alongside, it is very hard to get a good visibility at the steering position in bridge or on wing bridge.
Misunderstanding about navigating direction of towing ship line by another ship located in the vicinity is induced when a tugboat tows barge alongside with reverse direction against tugboat direction.
Especially in the night times, maritime traffic order could be fallen into disorder by obstruction of navigating lights of tugboat·barge line.
Consequently, prohibition on towing barge alongside with reverse direction against tugboat sailing direction is essential in opened trading port to keep maritime traffic order and to maintain safety of port.